Columbia Health Releases its 2022-23 Annual Report

The 2022-2023 academic year allowed Columbia Health to get back to the fundamentals of student health with a renewed focus: to build on current strengths to address student needs while piloting new approaches to drive resilience and adaptability that will help us respond to and succeed in today’s rapidly evolving environment.

Focusing on the Fundamentals

Columbia Health doubled down on programs and protocols that stood the test of the pandemic, proving they could effectively support student well-being in the coming years.

More Ways to Connect Students to Care

For many students, studying at Columbia maybe their first time independently navigating theirown healthcare. Columbia Health added new positions in nearly all departments to serve aslow-barrier points of entry for students and to facilitate access to care.

Re-engaging Current Students

Columbia Health recognized the need to enhance our ability to connect to students who are not actively utilizing our programs and services. Columbia Health actively participated in all schools’ new student orientation programs; sent direct communications to students with tips about available resources; published social media content to encourage prioritization of health along with steps they could take to do so; partnered with student media on campus health news; and worked with student affairs and communications teams across theUniversity to share timely health information and programming opportunities. In addition, CPS added a new role responsible for coordinating efforts within CPS and with campus partners to maximize outreach while deepening links across the community.

Student Mental Health

For Columbia Health, mental health has always been a key priority. Nationwide, young people are experiencing more mental health needs than ever before.These challenges start well before students arrive at Columbia and are not unique to Columbia students.When students start their Columbia journey, they have access to a tremendous amount of mental health support and resources through Columbia Health and other University departments.

Skills and Knowledge to Stay Well

While we work to provide world-class healthcare services, Columbia Health equally strives to equip students with knowledge and skills to prevent medical and mental health challenges from occurring when possible. Columbia Health provided a variety of educational opportunities for Columbia students on topics ranging from Mpox; hosting events responsibly; recognizing an opioid overdose and administering naloxone; health insurance concepts; to skills for effective online dating, healthy sexuality, and disrupting online harassment.

Columbia Health also offered ways for Columbia students and other community members to take a step back from the demands of their academics and personal life and ground themselves in the company of canines or through mindfulness events held in person, virtually, or asynchronously.

Working with Students to Help their Peers

Columbia Health’s non-clinical departments employ hundreds of students, either in paid office roles or volunteer programs. They also partner with student groups to host educational and well-being promoting activities.

Columbia Health’s clinical departments provide training for post-graduate students in the medical and mental health fields with a rotation in the vibrant field of college health. Notably, Medical Services supervises the activities of the award-winning Columbia University Emergency Medical Services, which provides free 24/7ambulance care to all community members on or near the Morningside campus.

Monthly, Columbia Health convenes nominated student leaders for the Student Health Advisory Committee to serve as a liaison between their peer constituents and the organization’s leadership.

Grounded in Fundamentals and Poised for the Future

Columbia Health continues to play a pivotal role in advising senior administration and academic leaders on matters such as infectious disease threats, student crises, socio-political upheavals, and more. We work with campus partners to ensure ongoing, comprehensive, and responsive support for student mental health. We also share timely health and well-being trends, such as the results of the Spring 2023 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment.

Columbia Health has a substantial history of supporting students and the University community, with a holistic perspective of health and an integrated approach to care. The future of this work is to match Columbia Health’s internal experience and expertise with a University-wide understanding of health and well-being as integral to student success and is a priority for everyone.